Strong is beautiful and captivating. And strong is one word that aptly describes actress Camille Prats, who surprised everyone with how she handled the loss of a husband (he was just 31) who left her behind with a son. Her faith, family and friends provided her the support to continue building a meaningful life.
In previous interviews, she said that she had to show a strong, hopeful and courageous disposition because she knew that then husband Anthony Linsangan was drawing strength and fighting for his life because of her. Camille attributed everything to God’s grace and prayers. While she can’t fathom why such a fate would happen to them in 2011, she surrendered to God’s plan and believed that Anthony would continue to look after them.
In 2017, Camille married businessman and childhood friend John Yambao. Both married with a son each in tow from previous relationships. They had their own children afterwards — a girl, Nala, and a boy, Nolan. Her vlogs and social media are replete with exercises alone or with husband VJ Yambao, bonding activities with her four children (one daughter and three sons) and trips all over the land.
On the YouTube channel of Camille, the Yambao couple admitted that before the start of the 2020 pandemic quarantine “not having the time” was their constant excuse for not working out. That excuse didn’t hold up anymore when they had so much time during the lockdown. That was when they started working out together.
Camille said that consistency is the key. It took them a long time before they really started losing weight but they really committed themselves to daily exercise. She takes a cup of coffee when she wakes up and exercises soon after on an empty stomach, which she said works for her.
She follows intermittent fasting. She skips breakfast altogether and uses her eating window for lunch and dinner. Her household serves chicken, fish or seafood with a lot of vegetables and rice for lunch. She takes her lunch with rice and prefers adlai to go with her dinner. Otherwise she just takes less rice for dinner compared to lunch. They have removed beef and pork from their diet altogether.
While the couple get their workout from a free app, Camille smartly reminds her viewers to consult a personal trainer especially if you are a beginner since exercising using bodyweights and free weights may cause injuries if not done properly (correct form and execution). She also recommends starting every workout with warm-up exercises. She does dynamic stretches to warm up in most exercise videos in her playlist and finishes off with cool-down stretches.
Camille recounted that they started their pandemic fitness journey with knowledgeable neighbors who mentored them when they started with simple bodyweight exercises that they did slowly and without any weights. Eventually as their endurance and strength increased, they started to use dumbbells and kettlebells.
One month ago, she posted a workout without any equipment after her followers asked about her routine. Her introduction came with the encouragement that the most important thing is to never quit. She warned that there will really come a time when you will struggle, when you will feel that you can’t go on; she said she went through all the physical and mental resistance of her mind and body being plucked out of a sedentary life.
“Don’t be scared to push yourself,” Camille declared. However, she said you also need to actively listen to your body. You should also know when to stop and catch your breath to recover. Then, when you feel you can do it again, keep moving.
She started the workout again with dynamic stretching and a foam roller routine. Camille shared a HIIT (high intensity interval training) composed of 10 pushups, 20 jump squats and 30 Russian twists, then a 45-second rest, followed by 10 mountain climbers, 20 speed skaters and a 30-second plank; then another 45-second rest, finishing off with 10 jumping lunges, 20 tricep dips, 30 jumping jacks and a 45-second rest. Repeat the whole thing three times!
“If you feel three rounds is not enough, go for it… push for it. But if you just managed two rounds, that’s okay. If you only got to do a round, that’s still okay. What’s important is you started something today. And that’s a win,” she exclaimed.
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